MSA Online Application User’s Guide
July 2015
Contents
MSA Online Application User’s Guide .............................................................................................. 1
Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 3
General Tips for Navigation ........................................................................................................... 3
Registering for an EA ID & password ............................................................................................ 6
Engineers Australia Online Portal (myPortal) ................................................................................ 9
MSA Application .......................................................................................................................... 10
Begin Application ..................................................................................................................... 11
Personal................................................................................................................................... 12
Application ............................................................................................................................... 15
Education ................................................................................................................................. 16
Report (CDR Application Only) ................................................................................................ 17
Relevant Skilled Employment (CDR Application Only) ............................................................ 18
Additional Assessment services .............................................................................................. 19
Relevant Skilled Employment .................................................................................................. 19
Other additional services ......................................................................................................... 21
Fast tracked applications ......................................................................................................... 21
Summary ................................................................................................................................. 22
Fee Payment ............................................................................................................................... 24
Payment details ....................................................................................................................... 24
Credit Card Payment ............................................................................................................... 24
Payment on Invoice ................................................................................................................. 25
Terms and Conditions .............................................................................................................. 26
Additional Information Request ................................................................................................... 27
Application Status........................................................................................................................ 28
Page 2
Purpose
This document details the online MSA application process.
Engineers Australia (EA) offers Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) for applicants intending to
apply for migration to Australian via the Points Test Skilled Migration scheme. There are five
pathways of assessment. They are as follows:
1. Competency Demonstration Report (CDR);
2. Accredited Australian Qualifications;
3. Washington Accord Qualifications;
4. Sydney Accord Qualifications and;
5. Dublin Accord Qualifications.
Please refer to the MSA booklet to choose the correct pathway.
General Tips for Navigation
The system is optimised for the following internet browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet
Explorer 8 (and above). Other browsers are not tested and not supported.
Please note that uploading documents may take time. Uploading several documents may trigger
an error. Please upload only one document at a time.
Tooltips - Additional information is provided at several points in the portal in the form of tooltips. To
view the information in the tooltips, hover your cursor over the tooltip icon as illustrated below:
You can navigate through your application by clicking on the tabs on the left hand side of the
screen.
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Using the previous page button of your web browser as well as the reload button can trigger errors.
It is recommended that you do not use these features.
Uploading a full application can take time. It is recommended that you save your application
regularly.
To return to your Applicant landing page at any time click on the Save & Exit button on the bottom
right hand side of your screen or simply save the application using the Save button at the bottom
left of the screen.

To log out of the portal, click the "Sign out" link in the menu bar on the top right hand corner of
the page:
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
If you experience technical difficulties while using the portal, please contact our Member
Services Team on 1300 653 113. Overseas applicants should call +61 2 6270 6555 (Monday to
Friday - 9am to 5pm AEST). This phone number is located in the Talk to our Support Team
section on the right hand side by clicking on the Contact us button.
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Registering for an EA ID & password
If you do not currently have an Engineers Australia ID and password you will need to register
online via www.engineersaustralia.org.au as shown below:
If you do have an Engineers Australia ID number you need to click on Register for a password
button which will lead you to the page as shown below:
* Please make sure you use the email address you have previously provided to Engineers
Australia.
If you don’t have an Engineers Australia ID number, you will have to apply for both an EA ID and
password.
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In order to register your details, you need to click on myPortal link as shown above. This will lead
you to the below page which you can fill out in order to receive an EA ID number:
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Please click on the “Create an Account” button and fill out the form.
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As the name entered by you will appear on the final assessment outcome letter, please make
sure it is exactly same as the name on your passport.
Note there may be a delay of 1-2 days in creating the account pending verification for some users.
Once your account has been created, you can use your personalised EA ID and password to log in
to myPortal and submit your MSA Application.
Engineers Australia Online Portal (myPortal)
Log into the Engineers Australia (EA) customer portal using your Engineers Australia ID and online
password. This will take you to myPortal landing page.
When you are on myPortal home page click on the menu on the top right hand side of the screen.
In the drop down menu, select MSA as shown below.
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MSA Application
Select Start MSA Application.
Additional information regarding MSA
assessment can be found by clicking
on the MSA booklet link.
After selecting start MSA application please select the relevant options from the drop down menus.
Please note that if you request an Overseas PhD assessment or Relevant Skilled Employment
assessment these will incur an additional assessment fee.
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Make sure you have read the MSA booklet before you continue with your MSA application. If you
have read the MSA booklet and agree to the statement "by submitting an application I am aware
that Engineers Australia may require original copies of documents to be sent via post in some
instances", place a tick in the check box then click the "Begin MSA Application" button.
Please note that you cannot change your choice of assessment and additional assessment(s) once
the application has been started.
Begin Application
When you begin your MSA application there will be a list on the left hand side of the screen. You
can navigate to any of these tabs at any point in your application. The MSA assessment will take
you through them in order, starting with your Personal Details. The PhD and Skilled Employment
tabs will only be visible if you answered yes to either of the related questions on the previous page.
Please note that you can switch from one tab to another at any time without impacting the progress
of your application.
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Personal
The Personal Details page requests that you upload a passport style photo, primary identification
document, name change document (if relevant), Curriculum Vitae (CV) and your English language
competency document.
To add a file to your application click in the upload document field or on the “Choose File” button
next to it. Select the file you would like to add to your application from your personal documents.
There is the option to add multiple files if needed, just select the Add File button as shown:
When attaching documents - please note that we prefer that written documents are in a .PDF
format. Where an image has been scanned we require a colour scan of the original document with
a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Files should not be larger than 5MB, with a maximum file size
allowance of 10MB.
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Passport-Style Photograph & Primary Identification Document
All MSA Applications must include: a passport style photo; and a passport bio-data page or
Australian driver's licence. Where a passport or Australian drivers licence are not available, a copy
of your Birth Certificate or Official Identity Document may be acceptable.
Curriculum Vitae (CV/Resume)
Please attach your most recent resume.
Can you demonstrate English Language Competency?
Please refer to the MSA Booklet as to whether you are required to submit a satisfactory English
Language Competency Result. You can click on the link to the MSA Booklet as shown below.
Upload your English language competency form. You should also include your English Language
Competency test result reference by typing in the text field indicated below. Once completed
please select Next to proceed to the next step.
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If you are seeking an exemption select the box as shown below. Upload an explanation for your
exemption and supporting evidence by clicking on the upload document field or Choose File button
next to it. Exemptions are granted on a case by case basis. Please refer to the MSA Booklet for
detail about the exemption criteria.
Once you have uploaded your justification click on the Next button.
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Application
For a CDR application, this Tab allows the applicant to nominate the occupation they wish to be
assessed as.
For an Australian Qualification, a Washington, Sydney or Dublin Accord application, this Tab will
show only the field for evidence of registration, which can be left empty if it does not apply to the
applicant.
Select your Engineering Occupation from the drop-down box. The Skill Level and ANZSCO Code
will be automatically filled in. For some Occupations you may select a Specialisation. For additional
information on these Occupations please refer to MSA Booklet. Click Next.
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Education
In the Education section, please provide the requested information for your most relevant
qualification. The required information is:
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Qualification - write the title of you qualification (e.g. Bachelor Degree in Engineering);
Discipline - write the discipline of your qualification (e.g. Civil Engineering);
Institution - write the name of the institution where you completed your qualification using
appropriate upper and lower case letters (e.g. University of New South Wales);
Country – select the country of completion of your qualification from the drop-down list;
Degree/Qualification - upload your degree certificate;
Transcript - upload your transcript;
Date of completion- select the date of completion or the date of award for your qualification.
If you have not completed this qualification please select the expected completion date.
You can add additional qualifications by clicking on Add additional qualifications button.
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Report (CDR Application Only)

Please upload your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) statement. The CPD
statement should describe how you keep up-to-date with developments in your field of
engineering after you have gained your undergraduate qualification and should be no
more than one A4 Page. Please refer to the MSA Booklet for further details.

Please upload your Career Episodes. The Career Episodes should describe how you
applied your engineering competencies either during your studies or during your
professional career. Please refer to the MSA Booklet for further details.

Please upload your Summary Statement. The Summary Statement must cross-reference
the competency elements detailed in the paragraphs in your Career Episodes. Please refer
to the MSA Booklet for further details.
Select Next button to continue with your MSA application.
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Relevant Skilled Employment (CDR Application Only)
You are required to provide evidences of employment for each period of Employment of 12 months
or more, or if a period of employment is used as the basis for a career episode.
Please refer to the Migration Skills Assessment Booklet for detail about the evidences of
Employment.
Select "Next" button to continue with your MSA application.
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Additional Assessment services
Upon selection of the application type and during the application lodgement, you will be able to
apply for our additional assessment services for the purpose of awarding points for migration
purposes:
- The Relevant Skilled Employment Assessment
- The Overseas PhD Assessment
If you wish to add these additional services to an already submitted application, you can do so
once you have received your positive outcome letter. A link to lodge a secondary application will be
made available to you at that point. This new secondary application will go straight to your case
officer for assessment.
Relevant Skilled Employment
If you request a Relevant Skilled Employment Assessment please fill out the following form with
the requested details and documents. Please refer to the MSA Booklet for further information.
Select the Next button to continue with your MSA application.
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Overseas PhD Assessment
If you request an Overseas PhD Assessment please fill out the following form and submit the
requested documents. Please note that this is not required as part of a standard Assessment
Application, and will incur an additional fee. Please refer to the MSA Booklet for further information.
Select the Next button to continue with your MSA application.
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Other additional services
Fast tracked applications
As part of the new services provided to online applications, you will be able to request for your
application to be fast tracked. This will ensure your application being picked up by an assessor in
5 business days. Completion of your application will however depend on how complete your
application is. Engineers Australia is not responsible for the excess time it takes to finalise an
assessment due to an incomplete application.
You will be presented with this option prior to proceeding to payment. By clicking the fast track
option and paying the relevant fee, your application will be placed into our priority assessment
queue.
If you require this service after your application lodgement, please contact Engineers Australia.
Adding/Removing the Services of an agent AFTER lodging an application
An application can be linked to an agency after it’s lodgement. In such cases the applicant should
send Engineers Australia an email request with a completed Agent authorisation form to
migrationagencycreation@engineersaustralia.org.au
We can also cut the link between a migration agency and an applicant upon request. In such cases
we seek an email request and confirmation from both applicant and agent.
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Summary
This tab shows the application overview.
The heading You still need to provide will list any documents that you still need to submit. You can
navigate to these pages by using the task bar menu on the left hand side of the screen. (Refer to
Tips for General Navigation).
You will not be able to proceed to payment and submit your application until all mandatory
documents are submitted.
Once you have provided all the required documents you can continue to the payment section.
Please put a tick in the Declarations to confirm your MSA application and to continue to the
payment section.
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Select Continue to Payment, Select OK to confirm your intention to submit your documents for
application and proceed to payment.
Uploading the documents and submitting the application can take several minutes. Do not reload
the page during this time.
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Fee Payment
Payment details
You can click on "Return to Application" at any time before you submit your payment. You
have the option of paying now via credit card or to have an invoice emailed to your listed
email address.
Credit Card Payment
If you would like to pay via credit card select the radio button "I'll pay now via Credit Card".
Please enter the payment details as requested including:
 the type of credit card you are paying with – please select the radio button next to the type
of card you are using. Engineers Australia accepts Amex, Visa and Mastercard and our
preferred payment type is the Engineers Australia Amex;
 the cardholder’s name;
 the credit card number;
 the credit card expiry date; and
 the CCV of your credit card – this is the 3 or 4 digit number located on the back of your
credit.
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Payment on Invoice
If you would like the invoice emailed to you please select the Please invoice me. Please note that
the invoice will be sent to the email address assigned to you. To have the email sent to a different
email address, please update your details and resume your application.
Note that if the payment is not received by the invoice’s due date, the application will be cancelled.
It will not be sent for assessment.
If you asked to pay on invoice, the invoice will be available for payment on your profile. Click the $
icon to see a list of pending invoices.
Click on View all financial transactions to see the list and access other options.
An invoice balance of $0 indicates that the fee has been paid.
You will be able to pay the invoice directly per credit card by clicking the credit card icon.
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You will be able to get a copy of the selected invoice sent to your email address by clicking the
envelope icon.
You will be able to view the invoice online by clicking the eye icon.
Terms and Conditions
For a Credit Card payment, after providing your payment details, please carefully read the
Payment Terms and Conditions at the foot of the page. If you agree with these Terms and
Conditions, please indicate this by marking the tick-box which states “I have read, understood and
agree to these Terms and Conditions”. You will be unable to proceed with your application if you
do not agree with the Terms and Conditions listed. After agreeing to the Terms and Conditions,
please click the red “Submit” button to submit your application for MSA and payment or select
“Return to Application” at the top of the page if you do not wish to continue with your MSA
application at this time.
You will receive confirmation that your application has been submitted and is awaiting assessment.
Note that after submitting the payment for this application, you will no longer be able to access this
application. It will be sent to the Assessors queue for processing, and you will be advised in due
course.
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Additional Information Request
In due course, your application will be claimed by an assessor, and the assessment process will be
started.
If the application is suitable to make a decision, a letter advising you of the assessment outcome
will be sent to your email address (as registered in your profile).
If there are shortcomings that you are required to address prior to your assessment being finalised,
your case officer will send you a request for additional information.
You will see a notification appear in the menu in MyProfile, as well as a new status for you
application.
Click on “Provide Additional Information” to see the detail of the shortcomings and submit
additional information as per your assessor’s request.
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Application Status
Submitting the application and uploading the documents in our database may take a few minutes.
After this delay, you will be able to see the status of your MSA application submission on the eMSA
landing page.
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If the payment is successful via credit card, the second block would be directly marked as
paid
If the payment is required via invoice, the second block would be blue and show Awaiting
payment until the payment is received.
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Upon successful payment, the second block will show Queued for assessment until the
time the application is claimed by an assessor
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The application status will remain in the queue until an assessor claims the application. At
this stage, the status in the third box will change to Assessment in progress
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If the assessor needs to request additional information, the third box will switch to Awaiting
applicant’s response and the button Provide additional information will be available.
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Once an outcome has been determined, the forth box will change to Outcome Granted. The
outcome will be sent to you per email
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Migration Skills Assessment
Engineering House
11 National Circuit Barton ACT 2600
Phone: 02 6270 6577
Email: memberservices@engineersaustralia.org.au
Web: www.engineersaustralia.org.au